Toei writing scripts for FUNi...

[Velasa]

So there's one thing I've really never understood from the early days of FUNimation and their interactions with Toei over the script. Mainly, that FUNi had Toei write up all the translations for them.

Was this, is this normal policy for a show at any time? Was it just a FUNi eccentricity or a relic of the bad early days of anime licensing in the states? Why wouldn't a licensing company have someone who speaks/reads Japanese that can come up with well-done scripts so that they wouldn't have to just make things up as they go along because the scripts sent to them were a mess?

[SHINOBI-03]

Sometimes, the Japanese companies give some translation notes to the dubbing companies when necessary.

I think one of the good examples is the Angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion.

In the Japanese version, the Angels were referred to as 使徒 "Shito" ((Apostles)) instead of 天使 "Tenshi" ((Angel)), but the translation to "angel" was specified by Gainax.

But I don't know if Dragon Ball received similar situations.

[linkdude20002001]

I heard that FUNi couldn't afford a translator, so they asked TOEI to do it. TOEI probably hired the cheapest translator possible, because the script they got was unconprehensible. Sean Schemmel even commented once that Japanese can't be translated into English because he saw or heard how bad the translated scripts were.

[Olivier Hague]

I heard that FUNi couldn't afford a translator

Wait, what?

Sean Schemmel even commented once that Japanese can't be translated into English

Wait, what??

[Velasa]

See, muddled hearsay like this is why we need a straightforward answer on whether this was an industry thing at the time or a FUNi thing or a normal industry policy or some weird alternate possibility. It just doesn't make any damn sense, especially when you take into account that a Japanese guy started the company but didn't seem to know anyone who could speak/read Japanese. It hurts my brain thinking about this.

[linkdude20002001]

I've always just thought he must be lazy. Though, to be fair, being Japanese doesn't automatically mean you can speak it. And just because you know someone who DOES, doesn't mean you can convince them to translate a 200+ episodes of a show.

I heard that FUNi couldn't afford a translator

Wait, what?

Well they really couldn't even afford the show. The reason it wasn't already lisenced was because it was so expensive. And Gen Fukanaga only got it because his uncle works for TOEI (he must be pretty high up).

Sean Schemmel even commented once that Japanese can't be translated into English

Wait, what??

He said something like that in an old interview. I'll see if I can find it. Damn... We need to collect all the interviews into one place, 'cause I can never find them again. >_<

[Puto]

I believe Toei did at least give dubbing companies English versions of the original japanese titles. I know this much because in both an italian DBGT website and the polish narration-dub thing of GT, the same rather engrishy translations are there - and some of FUNimation's DBGT English titles also seem to be somewhat inspired by those translations.

Example:

Dragon Ball GT Episode 37:

Polish dub written episode title: "Old Kaioh's last and choicest resort!"
FUNimation subtitles: "Valor!! Baby and Goku's Double-KO!!"
FUNimation English title: "Old Kai's Last Stand"

Dragon Ball GT Episode 38:

Polish dub written episode title: "the resurrection of the super-Saiyan 4 through everyone's powers"
FUNimation subtitles: "With Everyone Else's Power... Super Saiyan 4 Revived"
FUNimation English title: "Family Bonds"

Dragon Ball GT Episode 39:

Polish dub written episode title: "Drop dead, baby! A spirited attack!"
FUNimation subtitles: "This is the End! Baby Eradicated At Last"
FUNimation English title: "Baby Put To Rest"

Dragon Ball GT Episode 40:

Polish dub written episode title: "Earth explodes! Piccolo's important decision!"
FUNimation subtitles: "Earth Explodes!! Piccolo's Momentous Decision"
FUNimation English title: "Piccolo's Decision"

Dragon Ball GT Episode 41:

Polish dub written episode title: "The number one under the sun martial arts competition: Who is Satan's successor"
FUNimation subtitles: "Tenkaichi Tournament - Who Will Be Satan's Successor"
FUNimation English title: "Curtain Call"

Of note that the polish dub changed a lot of names, yet these episode titles seem to use the original names. Plus, this webpage seems to use the same episode titles, even though they have nothing to do with the polish dub. Thus, I believe these are translated titles that Toei themselves gave to foreign dubbers in English.

[linkdude20002001]

But those are just fan sites... I'm fairly certain that those are fan translations. Fan translations tend to spead. They probably didn't know Japanese, so they just found someone else's English translation and used it on their site. I've seen terrible translations like that on Wikipedia.

Also, you're right they don't have anything to do with the Polish dub, but that's an Italian Dragon Ball site anyways, so...

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

The polish episode titles are pretty much the same as the japanese, except for a few words that got translated differently.

[jjgp1112]

According to Chris Sabat, the scripts they got when they first started dubbing DBZ were so shittily translated that the writers just went ahead and wrote their own new scripts while only keeping in stuff from the translated scripts that they could actually understand.

[Fishman]

"Cat loves food, yeah yeah yeah yeah."

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

"Cat loves food, yeah yeah yeah yeah."

That was FUNimation's doing. Toei just translates the dialogue and FUNimation adds jokes that obviously aren't funny.

[Blue]

"Cat loves food, yeah yeah yeah yeah."

That was FUNimation's doing. Toei just translates the dialogue and FUNimation adds jokes that obviously aren't funny.

I am extremely curious what was going through this man's head when he wrote that line.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

"Cat loves food, yeah yeah yeah yeah."

That was FUNimation's doing. Toei just translates the dialogue and FUNimation adds jokes that obviously aren't funny.

I am extremely curious what was going through this man's head when he wrote that line.

A stupid cat food commercial that never existed.

[mystic trunks]

That one was pretty obvious...

[Blue]

I know that I mean in terms of it being a joke. Did he actually think that was some pinnacle of wit or something?

[baragon_kun]

According to Chris Sabat, the scripts they got when they first started dubbing DBZ were so shittily translated that the writers just went ahead and wrote their own new scripts while only keeping in stuff from the translated scripts that they could actually understand.

so that's explain Funimation "Re visioning" of the series, such as Vegeta crying for hugs

[Velasa]

According to Chris Sabat, the scripts they got when they first started dubbing DBZ were so shittily translated that the writers just went ahead and wrote their own new scripts while only keeping in stuff from the translated scripts that they could actually understand.

I know that part- what I want to know is why did Toei write the scripts in the first place? Was this practice normal at the time/in general/for FUNi or something else?

And the last four or so of you who replied... I'm seriously curious about this question and want to talk about that, not whatever happened after they got said scripts. Take the convo somewhere pertinent please.

[Timo]

I know that part- what I want to know is why did Toei write the scripts in the first place? Was this practice normal at the time/in general/for FUNi or something else?

If I remember correctly, WEP did receive translated scripts for Golion/Voltron too. These were awfully translated as well and so WEP came up with all these stupid and unnecessary re-writing of the whole show.

[Puto]

But those are just fan sites... I'm fairly certain that those are fan translations. Fan translations tend to spead. They probably didn't know Japanese, so they just found someone else's English translation and used it on their site. I've seen terrible translations like that on Wikipedia.

But why would the Polish dub (the official Polish dub) have fan translations of episode titles?